The legislation is related to an Aug. 25 crash in Westmoreland in which an 87-year-old driver crossed the center line of Route 12 and crashed into several motorcyclists, killing two of them. The driver couldn't explain to police why he crossed the line, and he died days later.

State Rep. Tara Sad, D-Walpole, said she filed the legislation at the request of Bette Champney, whose husband died riding his motorcycle that day. The filing is a placeholder as Sad researches and writes the official bill.

The Westmoreland crash put new attention on whether elderly drivers should be tested regularly. Until a couple of years ago, New Hampshire required drivers 75 and older to retake the driving test.

Sad said she has spent the past couple of weeks researching statistics on crashes involving older drivers. She said the age of retesting is in question.

"I think that maybe testing starting at 85 would be a logical thing and something that would protect the safety of other drivers in the state," she said.

Sad said her research has shown that most people start to lose some of their faculties in their mid-80s.

"Whether it's their eyesight, peripheral vision, ability to turn their head to check over their shoulder, reflex time, reaction time," she said.

She said she has spoken to many of her constituents, who question whether some elderly drivers should be on the road. Some children of those drivers said a law mandating testing would help them talk to their parents about giving up their licenses.

"A lot of children and doctors are reluctant to start that conversation because they realize that it's a loss of freedom for the senior," Sad said.

Sad said putting a law mandating tests for older drivers back on the books is not a judgmental move, but rather one that will increase the safety of New Hampshire drivers and their passengers.